The present invention relates to an inserter assembly for a peripheral catheter assembly of the kind comprising a hollow catheter hub having a female proximal end and a distal end provided with a catheter tube, a needle module having a male coupling part for engaging the female proximal end of the hollow catheter hub and provided with a needle extending inside the catheter tube and having a pointed tip protruding from the catheter tube, and a plaster member having a first adhesive surface and an opposing second surface, wherein the catheter tube extends through the plaster member from the first surface to the second surface.
The invention further relates to a method for configuring a peripheral catheter integral with a plaster member with the inserter assembly and a method for performing a venipuncture using the same.
It is often necessary to insert a flexible catheter tube into a vein and leave the catheter tube inside the vein for example for administering intravenous fluids or taking blood samples thereby avoiding repeated venipunctures. A hollow needle carrying the catheter tube and having a pointed tip protruding from the catheter tube is used to make a venipuncture and insert the catheter tube. Subsequently the needle is retracted and disposed of and the needle is secured by means of plaster strips to avoid dislocation.
Within the recent years a new kind of peripheral catheters has come to light that keep the injection site isolated from its surroundings to reduce risk of infection. The applicant's U.S. patent application U.S. Pat. No. 7,083,598 discloses such a peripheral catheter with an integrated plaster member for adhering to the skin area around the puncture site once the catheter has been inserted into the vein. A variant of the peripheral catheter is disclosed in the applicant's International Patent Application PCT/EP2008/059950.
While the advantage of the integrated plaster member is that the plaster member protects the puncture site from getting into contact with the surroundings, including the fingers of the operator making the puncture, the plaster member impairs visual sight. In particular the line of vision to the needle tip during puncture may be impaired. The freely flapping plaster member further complicates manipulation of the integral structure during puncture.